Hey Guy's my Son and I are looking at the feasablity of using a 12v out of a 95 for the replacment of a 360 gas engine in a 85 W250. The questions we have are 1# Is this a fairly straight foward affair? 2# what exactly will need's to be done?3# whats the dificulty leval in doing this job? We have bothe vehicales complete.
Thanks and Happy New Year!!

 

1st off the front def on the 95 is on the wrong side. Take a look.
A 1993 would be better for the swap.

 

You would need to go to a 94 to get drivers side drop.

I would think you could do the swap fairly easy with first gen mounts, the 85 W250 should have a NP205 TC, not sure of the input gear spline count though.

 

My thoughts were to swap the differentials in for the 3:55 running gear on the 95. I'm not sure the stock stuff is up to the task of a more powerfull Diesel engine anyway. My post should have said how tough is it to swap a 95 driveline into an 85...has anyone done this?

 

One way to do it...
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...hlight=crewcab

 

I think the front axle would be the hardest part of the swap. Unless you re-design the front suspension to accept the 95 stuff. What I would do would be to cut off all the 95 mounts and leave yourself with a bare axle, then weld on new perches and mounts from a 1st gen and mount it up.

I'm assuming you would want to try and use the rear axle and springs. More then likely the rear axle would need the perches moved in? to line the springs up with the frame rails. Then you would probably have to remove the stock 1st gen spring mounts and then re-drill and mount the frame for the new 2nd gen spring, front and rear eye locations. Also the axle widths are different I believe between a 1st and 2nd gen.

Seems like a lot of extra work....buying a 89-93 cummins powered truck would make your life so much easier.

 

The rear axle is a bit wider, but the the spring perches are the same spacing. My disc D80 is ~5" wider overall, the drum one is less... assuming 2-3" or so.

My buddies have 2nd gen trucks and I've worked on them a bunch. I'm not sure you could place the 1stgen's 32"-spaced leafs on the 94+ housing without landing one of them on the Dana 60 center section.

I'm considering a front frame splice idea for a future project... maybe a Ramcharger. I don't particularly like unit bearings, but its still a usable D60 housing that can be pimped out with Ford axle shafts and wheel bearings later on.

 

use the first gen. diesel mounts and they should bolt into the gas frame mounts. at least that is what worked on my 82 that HAD a 318 in it.

 

why are you swapping the front d60 for a different d60? seems like extra (read unnecessary) work IMO. I'd rather have the kp d60 over the bj found in the 94+ trucks

James